Mrs Midas:Stanza Four to Six

Overview of “Mrs Midas: Stanza Four to Six”

In Stanza four, dramatic irony is underlined; the narrator doesn’t fully comprehend the severity of her husband’s affliction, merely finding his insistence to sleep separately “odd”. The ominous presence is building, seen in the line “his hands glowing, the veins standing out.”
Stanza five brings the crisis to the surface, with the physical seclusion of the husband hinting at his growing discomfort caused by his peculiar ability. The shocking revelation of the golden touch comes through the transformation of an apple into a golden trophy.
In Stanza six, Mrs Midas tries to cope with her husband’s peculiar condition, now fully revealed, by retreating into a mental sanctuary. She distracts herself with the practical, everyday task of making her lunch yet, as expressed in the line, “It startled her, the kissed / Wrapper for the cheese”, she can’t escape from the reality.

Analysis of Language and Imagery in “Mrs Midas: Stanza Four to Six”

The metaphorical phrase “his hands glowing” implies the progression of King Midas’ golden touch, hinting at the extent of his affliction and the potential consequences.
The transformation of the apple to gold is a striking instance of magical realism that brings home the gravity of the situation. The change is not presented as a miracle but as a frightening abnormality.
Use of alliteration in the line, “the apple sat / stunned in his palm” draws emphasis to the tangible evidence of the husband’s cursed gift.
Mrs Midas’s shock and fear are depicted through a simile; as stunned as the apple in the palm of her husband. This mirrors her paralysis in the face of the inexplicable events.
The colloquial and somewhat understated language used by Mrs Midas maintains the remarkable ordinariness of her responses, creating a contrast with the extraordinary circumstances.

These middle stanzas expand on the impact of King Midas’s curse, the ordinary brings forth the extraordinary and the disturbing reality is gradually made clear. It’s clear that Carol Ann Duffy’s handling of tone, imagery and language skilfully encapsulates the tension and the emerging chaos.